State Commissioner’s visit: officials left red-faced- Kalaburagi ( Karnataka )

District Surgeon Nalini Namoshi and other officials in the Government General Hospital in Kalaburagi were left red-faced after failing to identify the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities K.S. Rajanna, who waited more than 30 minutes at the hospital gate, ahead of his scheduled inspection of the facilities available.

Mr. Rajanna berated Dr. Namoshi and other officials for making him to wait despite the prior notice.

Mr. Rajanna remarked, “This is an insult to the post of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and the State government. Do not go by the physical appearance of the person and the government has appointed a person with disabilities like me to man the post, but officials like you have little or no respect for people like me.”

Even as Mr. Rajanna was interacting with the patients and the persons with disabilities at the gate and inquiring about the treatment facilities available in the hospital, Dr. Namoshi, who came down from her chamber on the first floor, was seen standing inside the corridor at the entrance for about 20 minutes and watching them.

It was only after Mr. Rajanna sought to know who the Superintendent of the hospital was that Dr. Namoshi introduced herself as the District Surgeon.

Mr. Rajanna told Dr. Namoshi, “If this is the kind of reception you give to a person with disabilities like me who has been appointed as the commissioner, what kind of reception and treatment would you extend to other patients.”

During his visit to the different wards in the hospital, Mr. Rajanna pointed out several deficiencies in the facilities and the absence of disabled-friendly toilets and bathrooms.

Mr. Rajanna left the hospital after spending more than 90 minutes and refused to entertain the request made by Dr. Namoshi to visit her chamber.



Source: The Hindu, 3rd Feb 2015